Prenatal Development Case Study

The germinal stage of prenatal development takes place during conception and until two weeks afterward. During this stage, fertilized eggs, or zygotes, divide, multiply, and eventually specialize. The zygote then attaches itself to the uterine wall approximately ten days after conception. The embryonic stage of prenatal development begins after this time, as the bundle of cells forms into two parts. The internal cells become the embryo, the human organism at this time. The external cells become the placenta, which provides nutrients and oxygen for the baby. Formation of organs takes place during the embryonic stage, and they also begin to operate. Lastly, the embryonic stage begins around two weeks after conception through roughly eight weeks. After the embryonic stage, the fetal stage begins and lasts until the birth of the baby. During this stage, the embryo becomes known as a fetus. At twenty-four weeks, the organs of the fetus have developed well enough for a possibility of survival outside of the womb.

Three of Erikson’s psychosocial stages encompass infancy, adolescence, and late adulthood. Infancy begins at birth and lasts for one year. The social need in infancy depends on upon the child’s physical needs. If the parents and guardians meet the child’s needs, the child will develop a simple sense of trust. If the parents do not meet the child’s needs, it will lead to mistrust. Additionally, adolescence begins in the teen years and last into the twenties. The social need in adolescence becomes identity. Teenagers struggle with finding themselves during this stage and sometimes become confused. To form their identity, they experiment with certain roles and ideas and encompass everything to form one identity: theirs. Finally, late adulthood begins in the late sixties and lasts until death. At this stage in life, reflection becomes a huge part of life. This reflection can either lead to feelings associated with success or feelings associated with